Romney Joins Colleagues in Effort to Permanently Ban Taxpayer Funding for Abortions

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) today joined his colleagues, led by Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS), in reintroducing the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. This legislation would establish a permanent prohibition on federal funding for abortion, replacing the current restrictions with a single, government-wide standard.

“All human lives are sacred, and the lives of our children—both born and unborn—deserve our protection,” Senator Romney said. “I am proud to once again join my colleagues in this effort, which would prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to fund abortions.”

“Most Americans do not want their hard-earned tax dollars being used for abortion-on-demand, but our current patchwork of regulations has brought years of uncertainty,” Senator Wicker said. “The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act would simplify federal rules, ensuring that American tax dollars are never used for the destruction of innocent, unborn life.”

For over 40 years, an inconsistent and haphazard set of policies have regulated federal funding for abortion. This legislation would make permanent the restrictions on funding for elective abortion and elective abortion coverage, including the Hyde Amendment, which currently rely on yearly approval. It would also eliminate Obamacare’s taxpayer subsidies for elective abortion coverage on the Affordable Care Act exchanges through refundable tax credits.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD), and Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), John Boozman (R-AR), Mike Braun (R-IN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Ted Budd (R-NC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Steve Daines (R-MT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Josh Hawley (R-MO), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Johnson (R-WI), John Kennedy (R-LA), James Lankford (R-OK), Mike Lee (R-UT), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Rand Paul (R-KY), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), James Risch (R-ID), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Rick Scott (R-FL), Tim Scott (R-SC), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), J.D. Vance (R-OH), and Todd Young (R-IN).

The full text of the bill can be found here.